After viewing the most recent installment of the HBO series 24/7, a thought came into my mind.
I was thoroughly impressed with the cam shots of Bradley?s workout routines, mystified by the squats of a large tire that happened to have his father Big Ray standing full weight onto the Goodyear, a neck breaking neck stretch, and regular Everest-like ascents up some of Palm Spring?s steepest trails.
With Bradley, (28-0, 12 KOs) performing three hour gym sessions and capping them off with eight mile runs to end his day, one has to question: is Bradley No. 3 in the world in the training aspect of boxing?
His opponent on June 9, Manny Pacquiao, is known to be no slouch in the gym, and the Pac Man?s counterpart in the saga of ?the biggest fight never made?, Floyd Mayweather, is known for his workouts to be of the supreme nature.
The Palm Springs native has been known throughout the years to keep himself in tip top shape whether there was a television date or four-round off TV event in front of him. Having the chance to see Bradley regularly on the Southern California circuit, either fighting or at the fights, the 28-year old, who once ran over 30 miles in one day the week he had a scheduled fight, is perhaps the most physically conditioned boxer the sport has seen in quite some time.
And just how did he get there? Well, Bradley?s hard work and dedication (Mayweather 101) in the sweltering Palm Springs heat (regularly at or above 100 degrees) has definitely paid off as next week the young fighter will be in the biggest fight of his life, on the grandest stage and with millions, and dreams of millions more to come, awaiting him when he squares off against 15 fight win streak and WBO titlist Manny Pacquiao.
Of all of the qualities that Pacquiao possesses that rate him ahead of Bradley and currently lists him as a 4-1 favorite (this month?s edition of The Ring was not so kind to Bradley in the rating and prediction department), conditioning is either a toss up, or perhaps even a check mark for the Bradley box.
Its one of the strongholds that Bradley possesses that is keeping the odds at a decent level, and also the closest of any other recent Pacquiao foe. It?s almost as if the powers that be have written off Bradley, and are one check mark away from a total dismissal of the California fighter.
?I?m not only fighting for my family, I?m fighting for you guys out there, and everybody that places bets, I feel like I have an obligation to win,? said Bradley at a recent media workout near his hometown.
Those critics mine as well put down their pens, because it sounds like Bradley is willing to do anything it takes for him to stay undefeated in the ring.
Even if it means running 30 miles in the first week of June.
P-WILL
The tragic news of Paul William?s motorcycle accident, (coupled by Johnny Tapia?s death, R.I.P.) brought sad news to fight fans everywhere this past Memorial weekend.
Being on the Southern California circuit, where most of William?s more recent fights have been staged, I would say that Williams is the fighter who I have covered live most consistently in the sport, traveling up and down California and even traveling to Vegas to attend his unanimous decision win over Winky Wright in April 2009. It was a dominant, shutout win for Williams, known as a Compu-Box record shattering fighter for his expansive punch output in his fights, who some writers consider his best performance in the ring.
I was present at William?s first career loss the year prior when he was actually outworked for the first and only time in a boxing ring by Carlos Quintana, a loss he unmercifully found redemption in four months later by stopping Quintana in one.
Immediately following the loss at the Pechanga Casino in Temecula, California, a subdued, quiet and soft spoken Williams fielded any and all questions right after the first time he registered a loss in the sport that served as his career. Williams had a calm, quiet demeanor, keeping his head low and was very soft spoken and polite.
When can you describe a boxer nowadays with a calm demeanor after a loss?
In all of my encounters with ?The Punisher?, Williams could not have been more generous or kind, with obvious Southern hospitality shining through the rugged, barren sport that he participated in for a living.
It was a pleasure covering the career of a true gentleman in the sport.
Here?s to hoping for peace and fulfillment for Williams from this point on in his life, boxing gloves on or not.
KID CINNAMON
Photo by Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos / GBP
The accident left Canelo Alvarez without a dance partner for his Mexican Independence weekend fight in September at the MGM Grand, and once again James Kirkland?s name has been mentioned.
Kirkland is fresh off shoulder surgery, and his handlers were apprehensive and shrugged off the initial offer.
According to Ring TV?s Lem Satterfield, the fight is a done deal.?James want(s) it. He wants the fight with Canelo, and that?s the bottom line. Right now, we?re at a point where we?re trying to put the structure of it together and see if risk versus reward makes sense,? said Miller earlier this week.
*As of Thursday, ESPN?s Dan Rafael confirmed that James Kirkland had officially accepted the fight to challenge WBC middleweight titleholder Canelo Alvarez at the MGM in September.
